A. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electronic fluid flow rate controller for controlling the infusion of intravenous (IV) drugs into a patient. More particularly the present invention discloses the use of a magnetic media reading means to read information from magnetic media about the IV drug to be infused.
B. Description of Prior Art
The use of electronic pumps to control the infusion of IV drugs is well known in the medical arts. Of late some of these electronic infusion pumps are even computer controlled. Despite these advances, current electronic infusion pump technology suffers from a number of disadvantages. Current electronic infusion pumps require a great deal of user knowledge. A user setting up an infusion generally needs to know the drug being infused, the stock solution concentration of the drug, warnings specific to the drug being infused, the desired dosage rate, the recommended dosage rate and the patient's body weight. The user must even calculate the infusion rate. Current electronic infusion pumps do not provide the user with this information, nor do they convert the desired dosage rate into an infusion rate. The large information burden placed upon a user frequently means that the help of other medical personnel must be sought to begin or check on an ongoing infusion.